Cong manifesto promises new law on hate crimes; sops to women

Congress today released its manifesto for Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, promising a new law on hate crimes to provide enhanced punishment for those creating tension on basis of caste and religion besides offering sops to women, OBCs and minorities.
The 12-page manifesto condemned BJP's "anti-poor and anti-people policies", saying, "Divisive forces run rampant with impunity across the country...To combat these forces our two great parties (SP-Cong) have allied."
The Congress also described its coming together with Samajwadi Party as "an important moment" in the history of country's politics.
Noting that BJP's "agenda of hatred and divisiveness becomes clearer with every election", the manifesto pledged to enact a new law on hate crimes to provide enhanced punishment to those who create tension on basis of caste, gender and religion.

The party vowed to appoint a police ombudsman to handle cases of police oppression and set up a Criminal Injuries Compensation Board to ensure compensation to victims of criminal oppression.
For safety of women, it said the law passed by erstwhile UPA government would be implemented effectively against anyone guilty of atrocities and crimes against women.

It promised to launch Kanya Sanshaktikaran Yojana to ensure Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh for every girl child when she turns 18, besides scholarships to women pursuing higher studies.
The manifesto, released by UP PCC chief Raj Babbar,
promised to ensure special protection for the most backward and oppressed groups among Dalits to help them get better access to jobs and education.

"We shall appoint a Diversity Commission and a Vikas Mitra in every block to ensure delivery of all schemes," it said.
The party vowed to provide free legal aid to all members of the SC, ST, OBC communities and appoint Suraksha Mitra to assist in filing of cases committed against Dalits.
Additional grants for marriage of girls belonging to these communities and provision of special financial assistance to them to start their own business besides medical and housing facilities have also been promised in the document.
The manifesto also listed its thrust areas to boost infrastructure and promised to ensure food security by providing wheat and rice at Rs 3 and Rs 2 a kg, giving nutritious meal in Mid Day Meal scheme and revamping Public Distribution System.

Matching BJP's loan waiver promise to farmers, it said "Qarza maaf, bijli half" and pledged to ensure adequate return to farmers and make the mandi system more farmer friendly.
Setting up of state-of-the-art warehouses, cold storages, agro-processing industries, as also launching of crop and livestock insurance have been promised by Congress.
A New Industrial Policy with emphasis on MSME will also be formulated.
It promised to provide free school education for every girl child and give free bicycles to girl students from Class IX to XII.
Skill development centres will be opened and additional job avenues created for young men and women in the state. "We will work to ensure that at least 50 lakh young men and women are placed in jobs within the next five years," the document added.